We've Moved!

We've Moved!
Click here to head to riddickandreynolds.wordpress.com!

Sunday, May 23, 2010

The End Of YANCSSB; New Beginnings


3 comments

This is the final post at Yet Another NC State Sports Blog.

I've made the decision to pick up shop and move from the Blogger.com domain over to Wordpress.com. I've been contemplating a move to Wordpress for quite some time now; this seemed like the time to make the move.

Also, let's be honest..."Yet Another N.C. State Sports Blog" is a mouthful.

I picked the name way back when as a pithy way to jump into a relatively crowded State blogging community. I guess I anticipated writing a few things here or there. I didn't anticipate it growing like it has, generating some ad revenue and plenty of good discussion over the last two years. As such, it's gotten to be a pain anytime I've had to tell folks the address.

So the new site is cleaner, more functional and with a new title: "Riddick & Reynolds" (riddickandreynolds.wordpress.com), an homage to State's athletics roots at its two venerable venues, Riddick Stadium and Reynolds Coliseum.

Henceforth, all new content from me will appear there. I'll keep YANCSSB up to help direct folks to the new site; please update your bookmarks and links accordingly.

It's important to keep growing...this is part of that growth.


View the complete entry of "The End Of YANCSSB; New Beginnings"

Changes To YANCSSB Forthcoming


0 comments

Some changes for the blog are on the horizon. Stay tuned.


View the complete entry of "Changes To YANCSSB Forthcoming"

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Adventures In Re-Translated N.C. State Sports News


5 comments

Google alerts is a wonderful thing. It delivers to my inbox everyday news about State, Sidney Lowe, The Wolfpack, er, Wolpfack, Tom O'Brien and more. It's a great way to stay on top of news as it breaks.

It also occasionally delivers some quirky, off-beat items like it did this morning.

Long story short, it sent me a link to a re-posted article of Mike DeCourcy's from April 29th. That's nothing new or noteworthy in and of itself, except this particular re-post seems to have been translated from English into another language...and BACK into English:
3. Is alighting C.J. Leslie what N.C. State indispensable to get behind to the NCAA Tournament?
DeCourcy:
Leslie, an chosen energy brazen prospect, simply is the many desired partisan to dedicate to N.C. State given J.J. Hickson.

Scout.com has Leslie rated No. twelve in the difficulty of 2010; he was pursued by Kentucky, Connecticut as great as Florida, between others.

Leslie joins the well-regarded recruiting difficulty that additionally facilities wing Lorenzo Brown as great as indicate ensure Ryan Harrow. Presuming brazen Tracy Smith earnings from the NBA draft, State should have the many gifted organisation given Sidney Lowe’s initial season, 2006-07, when he flopped with the talented, maestro group.

N.C. State took the Hoiberg-style risk in 2006 by employing Lowe, the indicate ensure for the Wolfpack’s 1983 inhabitant pretension organisation who’d accomplished all of his coaching in the NBA. State hasn’t accomplished improved than ninth in the ACC since.

Leslie arrives with the repute as, shall you say, the high-maintenance player. Those who competence fit that difficulty who preceded him haven’t regularly contributed as great as DeMarcus Cousins did final deteriorate during Kentucky.

Oklahoma got the great beginner year out of Willie Warren, though he in conclusion showed the scouts were right about him. Lance Stephenson was reduction of the con than expected—but never the great fit during Cincinnati. Derrick Caracter took scarcely 4 years as great as dual schools to get it right.

If Leslie as great as Lowe click, the Pack could be back.
This makes me want to ask Mike the question, "What did you mean when you said, 'Feel my skills, donkey donkey donkey donkey donkey?'"


View the complete entry of "Adventures In Re-Translated N.C. State Sports News"

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

We Knew Mays Was Leaving, But Et Tu, Josh Davis?


1 comments

Men’s Basketball Announces Pair of Transfers

We knew last month that Julius Mays was planning to leave. It looks like he's decided to head to Wright State.

However, the big news out of State's camp today is that Josh Davis is planning to leave, as well.

Strictly from a numbers perspective, it makes sense that Davis would leave to another program for more playing time. With CJ Leslie coming in and a wealth of talent in the frontcourt already in place, Davis was going to get sparse minutes, at best.

However, it really stings from a team chemistry sense. Davis was that spark off the bench that Sidney Lowe could turn to for some rebounding or hustle to energize the rest of the roster on the floor.

Reading into Sidney's quotes from the press release, it doesn't seem like a decision he's happy with.
“Josh was one of the hardest workers we had this past season,” said Lowe. “Whenever he was inserted into the game something positive seemed to happen. Josh just expressed to me that he feels like he could have better opportunities at another school. We wish him nothing but the best.”
I think Sidney knows he's losing one of those "glue guys" every team needs...the guy that pushes the starters in practice, that picks the others up with their play, however sparse it may be. And in losing a true State "fan"--a kid that grew up loving State--from the roster, I think Sidney laments losing someone who shares that pride for the Wolfpack that goes beyond simply wearing the uniform.

As a fan, I wish them both well. I just am a bit puzzled and saddened that Davis is leaving, given the intangibles he brought to the team.


View the complete entry of "We Knew Mays Was Leaving, But Et Tu, Josh Davis?"

Chris Baysden And The TBJ Are Facking Killing It


2 comments

Though I don't have time (stupid lunch break only lasting an hour...), I felt like this needed to be said: If you aren't regularly checking in with the Triangle Business Journal as part of your N.C. State sports news search cycle, you need to.

Because it seems like they've been crushing it for the better part of a month now with articles on State's AD firing ERRRRRRRRRRRRR mutual decision to part ways, the new AD search, ACC tv contracts and more.

Chris Baysden--former editor at Technician and editor-in-chief of the paper when I was there--has been the point man for a great many of these articles, and he's using his sources to get the jump on a lot of these rapidly evolving stories.

The latest from Baysden is on the soon-to-be-expiring shoe contracts for both men's basketball and football. It's a great read (if not a bit sickening when you read the numbers). You should check it out.

And add TBJ to your news sweep each morning.


View the complete entry of "Chris Baysden And The TBJ Are Facking Killing It"

How Fox May Have Saved The ACC As We Know It


0 comments

When word came out yesterday that the ACC was nearing completion of a 12-year, $1.86 billion contract with ESPN, it became known that the Fox network made a very strong push to lure the ACC away from its long-time partner in Bristol, CN. Fox sent some of their top executives to make their case, swinging for the fences in hopes to land the rights to perhaps the conference with the country's best combination of basketball and football "product" from top to bottom.

The ACC apparently decided to re-up with ESPN, however, but will now do so at a much higher pricetag than originally thought due to Fox's efforts. Insiders felt the number would be no more than $120 million/year, but the negotiation brought the ACC's pricetag up $35 million MORE per year to a very solid $155 million. This will increase every school's annual take from $5.58 million to $12.92 million, more than double. The extra $35 million/year that the bargaining process netted the ACC means almost $3 million more each year for every school.

And in so doing, I think the ACC now stands a much better chance of retaining the schools some felt like stood a chance to leave the conference for either the SEC or perhaps the Big 10. Sure, there's still a gap in revenue between the ACC and the two top money earning conferences, the Big 10 and the SEC, who expect to provide close to $20 million per school per year. But because the ACC can close the gap with the SEC and Big 10 in basketball revenue from the NCAA tournament (when Duke and Carolina are winning titles, it enriches all of us), the ACC stands a much better chance to offer an appealing enough package of revenue to protect schools like Clemson, Georgia Tech and perhaps Boston College from being lured away. That extra $3 million a year could make a huge difference.

So a sincere thank you to the folks at Fox. Though it was not your intention, your actions may have just preserved the ACC in its current form, and may ultimately have far-reaching impacts in the expansion plans of the neighboring conferences.


View the complete entry of "How Fox May Have Saved The ACC As We Know It"

Awesome Photo Of Chancellor Woodson


2 comments



Chancellor Randy looks like he's ready to fack some sh*t up...[EDIT: as one of our commenters noted, this was from a prior event, not from the search committee meeting. C'mon, Ted...detailed captions, buddy!]

Great work from Ted Richardson at the News and Observer on capturing the moment perfectly.


View the complete entry of "Awesome Photo Of Chancellor Woodson"

Monday, May 17, 2010

Sttae Baesball Mdeia Gudie Gaff Geos Viarl


1 comments



You can also see that I use Chrome, am a member of SECU and have litany of online streaming links.


View the complete entry of "Sttae Baesball Mdeia Gudie Gaff Geos Viarl"

Meet The Folks Assisting In The AD Search Process


1 comments

State taps Parker Executive Search to assist with the AD search. From their Winter 2010 press release:
Recent Searches

Football Head Coach Searches, 2009-2010

University of Akron, Head Football Coach - Rob Ianello
University at Buffalo, Head Football Coach - Jeff Quinn
Louisiana Tech University, Head Football Coach - Sonny Dykes
University of Notre Dame, Head Football Coach - Brian Kelly
University of Tennessee, Head Football Coach - Derek Dooley
Widener University, Head Football Coach - Isaac Collins

Athletic Director Searches, 2009-2010

Bradley University, Director of Athletics - Mike Cross
University of Delaware, Director of Athletics - Bernard Muir
University of Houston, Director of Athletics - Mack Rhoades
Loyola University Maryland, Asst. VP and Director of Athletics - Jim Paquette
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Director of Athletics - Tim Pernetti
South Dakota State University, Director of Athletics - Justin Sell
Texas Christian University, Director of Athletics - Chris Del Conte

Additional Key Searches, 2009

Mid-American Conference, Commissioner - Jon Steinbrecher
The Pasadena Tournament of Roses, Executive Director - Scott McKibben
Given that these hires all took place last year, it's way too early to know how they will all turn out. Thumbs up for helping to land Brian Kelly at Notre Dame (but was that really so difficult?). An unknown thumbs up/down: the hiring of Derek Dooley at Tennessee. There are a lot of mixed opinions on that one still.

In the end, the folks at PES will simply compile a list of candidates that the 13-member committee will ultimately select from. Chancellor Randy will ultimately make the final call.


View the complete entry of "Meet The Folks Assisting In The AD Search Process"

TBJ: ESPN Outbids Fox For ACC Television Rights


0 comments

Looks like ESPN will be paying somewhere in the neighborhood of $155 million/year over 12 years, or $1.86 billion.

It would be an increase of about $88 million per year than the $67 million/year the ACC currently receives, and would be about $30 million or so more per year than folks were predicting, meaning each school will net a little over $2 million/year than expected. That's a good thing.

The bad news is that the ACC's proposed deal is still dwarfed by the SEC's $3 billion deal over 15 years, meaning the SEC nets about $50 million more per year than will the ACC. In the world of college sports, where the never-ending facilities and coaching salary arms race requires more and more funds every year, a difference of $3 million+ per year, per school could further distance the means of schools in the SEC versus other leagues.

And the next big question is what bearing does this deal have on all of the expansion talk of late? Does it secure the ACC's position more? Does it include a flexible clause to allow for changes in that figure should teams be added or--gulp--removed from the conference ranks?


View the complete entry of "TBJ: ESPN Outbids Fox For ACC Television Rights"

Congratulations Class Of 2010


1 comments

Good work, people. Now, go out there and make something of yourselves (sorry we screwed up the economy)!

And for this guy, you have my respect, sir. If I owned a company, I'd hire you (and then probably keep a very close eye on you):


Courtesy of the N&O


View the complete entry of "Congratulations Class Of 2010"

Friday, May 14, 2010

Jeremy's Latest: Standing On 20--A Note On Behalf Of Bobby Purcell


3 comments

Jeremy M.
Contributor

A man in red stands weary at the blackjack table, his last good winning streak having ended hours ago.  One card sits in front of you face up, it is a King.  Tired fingers bend up the corner of the face-down card and you see a Jack underneath.  A quick peek at your chip stack reminds you that there is much riding on this hand.

Bobby Purcell is that Jack.

The business acumen of Mr. Purcell cannot be questioned.  The Wolfpack Club is far beyond a small business and I have no doubt that he has had to make tough decisions in eliminating and hiring personnel.  His love and enthusiasm for our university cannot be questioned.  How much his past relationships to entrenched figures (our SID office for example) would affect his personnel process is however a question I would ask him if I saw him today.

It seems like lately the house has been at 21 almost every hand and it is getting rather tiresome to see the chips pushed everywhere but here.  We really, really want to hit and cross our fingers that the next card off the deck is that Ace we need for blackjack...perhaps an unhappy AD from another large state school or an up-and-comer with an eye for success.  We have learned however than an outsider might give a good interview but then end up bringing a loser's mentality to the university we love and be more caustic than enthusiastic.

State fans are notoriously pessimistic when the pendulum is at a low point and notoriously optimistic at moments of opportunity.  But we can't afford to draw a 6.  And anyone that has ever played blackjack before knows that the Jack already gives you one hell of a hand.

Let's stand on 20.

---

Editor's Note: Jeremy has nuts of steel if he's ever hit a 20. Yours truly has a hard time hitting a 17, even when the odds are in my favor. So, word to the wise: Don't spot Jeremy a stack at the table. :-)


View the complete entry of "Jeremy's Latest: Standing On 20--A Note On Behalf Of Bobby Purcell"

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Justin Gainey Hired By Jason Capel As Assistant Coach At App State


1 comments

Cool news for one of my favorite players from the Sendek era.
Appalachian State head men's basketball coach Jason Capel announced the hiring of three assistant coaches on Thursday, naming Rick Scruggs, Bobby Kummer and Justin Gainey to his staff.

...

Gainey joins Capel's staff after competing against the Mountaineers last season as an assistant coach at Elon under head coach Matt Matheny. Prior to his season with the Phoenix, he spent three seasons on staff at his alma mater, NC State. With the Wolfpack, Gainey he acted as the liaison between the coaching staff and the academic support personnel. Gainey also assisted in camp planning and served as a camp director, as well as worked toward keeping the program in compliance with NCAA regulations.

Before joining the collegiate coaching ranks, the High Point native served as head coach at Cary Academy for three seasons following a professional playing career. He played for Austria's Woerthersee Piratens in 2000-01 and France's Olympique D' Antibes the following season.

As a player at NC State from 1996-2000, he was a three-year starter, acted as a team captain and was an honorable mention all-conference pick as well as an ACC all-Tournament team member during his career. During the 1997 ACC Tournament, Gainey set a league record by becoming the first freshman to play all 40 minutes in four tournament games. His play helped send the Wolfpack to the ACC title game as the No. 8 seed. He ranks ninth in Wolfpack history with 344 assists and fourth in steals with 190.


View the complete entry of "Justin Gainey Hired By Jason Capel As Assistant Coach At App State"

Men's Basketball, Cross Country And Rifle Getting It Done In The Classroom


0 comments


View the complete entry of "Men's Basketball, Cross Country And Rifle Getting It Done In The Classroom"

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Smedes York To Head AD Search Committee


0 comments

Hmmm... I thought we were securing the services of a third-party search firm?*
RALEIGH -- Former Raleigh Mayor Smedes York will head a 13-member search committee for a new athletics director for N.C. State University, the university announced Wednesday.
Not sure how I feel about this. Just as I have concerns that Bobby Purcell may be too connected to the existing structure of State's athletic department, I have the same concern about York--former Director of State's Board Of Trustees and no doubt close to Purcell--being able to evaluate all the potential candidates in an unbiased fashion.

If you're Purcell, you have to feel good about this improving your chances of landing the job. Again, I have no issue with that, but I want the vetting process to be as transparent, fair, widespread and rigorous as possible.

*UPDATE: Apparently in the GoPack.com press release, it states that the 13-person university committee will, in fact, be relying on an outside search firm to compile a list of viable candidates. The News & Observer piece above built on that release left that factoid out. It's not an insignificant point, either.


View the complete entry of "Smedes York To Head AD Search Committee"

I Think I Had PackLash Last Week


3 comments

What, no one's been fired at State this week?

No major upheaval of the existing administrative chain today?

Did we not land another 5-star recruit in the last three days?

Man, what a whirlwind two weeks we, as State fans, just experienced. It seemed like everyday there was new news to report from the Wolfpack athletic front, from the busting of the four weed smoking football players, to CJ Leslie's commitment, to the (forced) stepping down of AD Lee Fowler to Tim Clark winning his first PGA Tour event. If you turned on 99.9 The Fan or 620 The Buzz in the Raleigh market at any point over the last two weeks, you couldn't help but hear something about State. And for the most part, it was good.

I experienced something I didn't think was possible. I got tired of hearing about State. Seriously, I had "PackLash." I based that term on the scene in Jerry Maguire where Frank Cushman--the #1 pick of the draft--laments seeing his face on the giant screen in Times Square with a song he entitles "Cushlash."

That was me. I was tired of hearing about State. Yeah, yeah, yeah...blah blah blah...CJ Leslie, Lee Fowler...is there anything else on? I had PackLash, and I had it bad.

It begs the question...how do the fans of Carolina and Duke do it? How do they stomach constantly being in the news for preseason rankings and recruiting and winning national titles and the like? I guess you get desensitized to it, spoiling you to all but the biggest news. That may be why we State fans find them so damn insufferable.

So I was happy to hear the sports news cycle return to its normal slow pace with a slight trickle of State news here or there. As sick as I was hearing about State on the radio--I can only imagine how sickening it was for Tar Heel and Blue Devil fans. It makes me smile.


View the complete entry of "I Think I Had PackLash Last Week"

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Adventures In Obscure National Championships: State Club Basketball Team Wins ACIS Title


2 comments

Move over bass fishing.

Step aside women's diving.

There's a new, more-obscure team at State winning national titles these days: State's club basketball team.

Coincidentally, the championships were held on State's campus last week. There might have been a slight home-court advantage in play. (Just sayin'. The rims at Carmichael can be tricky.)

The name of the winning team? "White Men Can't Jump." I guess so, but it looks like they can still play ball at a championship level.

So congrats whiteys (and two black guys)! Your banner is currently at the printer as we speak.


View the complete entry of "Adventures In Obscure National Championships: State Club Basketball Team Wins ACIS Title"

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Tim Clark Wins First PGA Tour Event At The Players


0 comments

It's been a long time coming, but former State golfer Tim Clark has finally shaken the "Best Player Never To Have Won On The PGA Tour" moniker with a fantastic 66-67 final two rounds to finish with a final score of -16.

He bested Robert Allenby down the stretch, who missed two very close putts on 16 and 17 that could have forced a playoff with Clark or won it outright.

But fate intervened, and as Clark watched on in clubhouse, Allenby came up one stroke short and the engraving of Clark's name on the trophy began.

Congrats to Clark!


View the complete entry of "Tim Clark Wins First PGA Tour Event At The Players"

Friday, May 7, 2010

ESPN's Heather Dinich's Darkhorse Candidate To Win ACC Is...


2 comments

N.C. State.

Have fun with that kiss of death, Tom.


View the complete entry of "ESPN's Heather Dinich's Darkhorse Candidate To Win ACC Is..."

Thoughts On The AD Search, Purcell


10 comments

As expected, Bobby Purcell—Executive Director of The Wolfpack Club—has officially thrown his name into the ring as a candidate for the N.C. State AD job. Purcell interviewed for the same position 10 years ago when Lee Fowler was hired.

I’m conflicted on where I stand with hiring Purcell away from the WPC.

On the one hand, Purcell possesses just about every quality you would want in an AD at State. First and foremost, he’s a HUGE State fan. Don’t let the UNC business degree fool you--he grew up a State, was one throughout college, and per his roommate at Chapel Hill, even had State posters up in his dorm room. It takes stones to hang a State poster in a dorm room in Chapel Hill, especially in the mid-to-late 70’s when State-Carolina was THE rivalry in the state. He spent time as an assistant football coach and recruiting coordinator with the Wolfpack during the early 80’s and landed Erik Kramer, one of the best quarterbacks in State’s history.

Secondly, he’s a professional. He manages a large scale budget with a great number of employees and many more volunteers across the state. He knows the value of operating a tight ship and keeping order throughout a large organization. He understands the value of consistent growth within an organization, as evidenced by the steady growth of the WPC membership to over 20,000 members.

Thirdly—and perhaps most key—he’s an effective closer on the fundraising circuit. In 2007, Purcell was named University Division Fundraiser of the Year by the National Association of Athletic Development Directors (NAADD). A read of the fantastic Wall Street Journal piece about his work with the WPC shows that he knows how (and feels quite comfortable) to say the right things to open the wallets of multimillionaires and billionaires to give large amounts year in and year out. An AD has to be able to sell the program to prospective hires, the media and the academic administration, and Bobby’s shown he can do all that.

And if Purcell is passed over a second time as a candidate for AD, could State still lose Purcell from the WPC? Would he become disillusioned with State’s leadership and take an AD position elsewhere out of disappointment? That doesn’t seem like something he would do based on his track record and testaments to his character, but speaking personally, if I were passed over twice for my dream job, I might find it hard to come back to work in the same position and wait another decade for that same opportunity to come around a third time. In a way, not promoting him from the WPC could be worse for WPC than promoting him away from his position.

But on the other hand, there are things about promoting Purcell to AD that concern me.

(Continues)

Primarily, I’d hate to lose his leadership within the WPC. State’s membership growth is due in large part to Purcell, and I fear losing him from that head position would jeopardize the tremendous things the WPC is poised to accomplish in the future. He’s quite possibly too valuable to move out of that seat.

Secondarily, his close association with so many of the movers and shakers within the existing power structure of Wolfpack Athletics may make it difficult and perhaps impossible for Purcell to completely restructure the organization in the way it needs to be. Selling naming rights to beautiful buildings likely (presumption on my part) means making promises of access and influence that will be tough to break when they need to be, and if what I’ve heard about some of our largest donors is true, they will be very, very unwilling to relinquish this kind of influence in future hiring/firing decisions. Just as knowing the right folks within the alumni base can be a blessing from a fundraising standpoint, it can also be a curse from a decision making one.

I’ve reconciled things to this: If—after an exhaustive AD search from a third-party firm—Bobby Purcell is determined to be the best possible candidate for the job, I will have ZERO problem with that whatsoever. In my mind, he’s certainly qualified. But I would be very, very disappointed if the university, Chancellor Woodson and the Board Of Trustees simply settles on Purcell because he represents the path of least resistance.

An associate AD from an Ohio State, Texas or Florida would bring new blood and no prior existing alliances to current donors, which may be exactly what the program needs to snap itself out of this funk it’s been in for the last 25 or so years. Fowler, however, was “new blood,” and we saw how well he shook up things...if anything, the status quo got WORSE under his watch than better. Bottom line, there are no guarantees.

For the overall good of the university, may the best man or woman win the position.


View the complete entry of "Thoughts On The AD Search, Purcell"

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Latest From TBJ: Interim Chancellor Jim Woodward Informed Fowler Of His Fate In March


3 comments

Pretty brass move for an interim chancellor, if you ask me. I knew I liked that guy!
Lee Fowler has known since March that his run as athletics director at North Carolina State University would end June 30, Chancellor Randy Woodson said Tuesday afternoon.

In a telephone interview a few hours after the university announced Fowler’s resignation, Woodson said that former interim chancellor Jim Woodward informed Fowler in March that the university would part ways with the athletics director by June 30.

Woodson added that the timing of the announcement was left up to him.
Wow. How you like them apples?


View the complete entry of "Latest From TBJ: Interim Chancellor Jim Woodward Informed Fowler Of His Fate In March"

It's Official: Lee and State Agree To Part Ways


4 comments



View the complete entry of "It's Official: Lee and State Agree To Part Ways"

Monday, May 3, 2010

Required Reading: John Feinstein Recalls V 17 Years After His Passing


2 comments

I missed this when it came out on April 28th. I wish I'd seen it then. It's from John Feinstein's blog, "Feinstein On The Brink," and it's a fantastic look at Jimmy V from the perspective of someone that new him well. It reads much like his excerpt about Valvano from "A March To Madness," which honestly was the best part of that book to me.

I certainly can't (and won't out of respect to Feinstein) repost the entire article here--it is worth reading at his site in its entirety. Here, though, is a great snippet:
Jim and I had been close for a long time. I had seen him play at Rutgers (he was part of a superb backcourt along with a great shooter named Bob Lloyd) and had first gotten to know him when he coached at Iona. I had spent many late nights sitting with him after games when he was coaching at State. Like most coaches, Jim couldn’t sleep after games—he was never much of a sleeper to begin with—and he would always head up to his office after doing his postgame press conference in Reynolds Coliseum and order pizza, wine and beer. His coaches would come in and hang out and so would various friends. I always stayed until the end because I knew when the room cleared out, Jim would stop telling stories and get serious. As hysterically funny as his stories were—I still re-tell some of them when I speak—the best parts of the evening always came well after midnight.

Jim would put down his wine glass and often stretch out on the couch in his office and say things like, “I need to figure out what I want to do when I grow up.”

He was constantly restless. He had spent his life dreaming about winning a national championship and then when he won one at the age of 37, in the most dramatic fashion possible, he felt unfulfilled. You could almost hear the famous line from the old Peggy Lee song, ‘Is that all there is?” playing in his head on a constant loop.

He chased The Next Thing for a while, flying to New York on Monday mornings to appear on CBS’s ‘Early Morning,’ Show; doing color on occasional games IN season; hosting that awful sports bloopers show; doing a pilot for a variety show in Hollywood (seriously); selling memorabilia; becoming the athletic director at State. Anything to avoid being JUST a coach.

Everyone knows what happened: he stopped paying enough attention to his program and enough bad kids seeped bad kids seeped in to bring the program down. A book, written with the (paid) cooperation of a former manager, helped bring about an NCAA investigation—even though there were so many in-accuracies in it on simple things like what day of the week Thanksgiving fell on (I’m not joking) that it should not have been taken seriously. Still, the investigation led to probation and to Valvano being forced to resign after the 1990 season. Twenty years later I think it is fair to say that State still hasn’t recovered from that episode.
John is dead on here, sadly.

Even sadder is that years later, perception has become reality moreso than fact, as evidenced by some of the comments by those following the piece. They refer to Jim as a cheat, dirty, among other things. It's amazing to this day what a piece of fiction did to that man and our school, perception-wise. It was like the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki or meltdown in the town of Chernobyl. The events have long since passed but the effects are still felt to this day.

It helps having folks with strong voices like Feinstein trying to set the record straight. But since these pieces only come out rarely, they do little good all these many years later.

Nevertheless, a must read from Feinstein.


View the complete entry of "Required Reading: John Feinstein Recalls V 17 Years After His Passing"

WRAL Video of CJ Leslie's Press Conference


2 comments

Video of CJ Leslie's official announcement from Word Of God Academy today that he's attending N.C. State this fall. Sounds like he did not have the same phone conversation with John Calipari that Terrence Jones did, which is good for us.


View the complete entry of "WRAL Video of CJ Leslie's Press Conference"